I finally got it, that is, months after I applied. I have to tell you getting a home loan required less paperwork and proof of income and assets than this card. This was work to get approved for but I really think this will become one of my favorite travel cards ever and I intend to hold it year after year.
If you are not aware of this offer I blogged about it HERE and a follow up post about it HERE. The best part is the offer has been extended until the end of this month (31DEC15) so you can go down to a local branch (NY, DE, GA, TN, NV, CA) and apply for the card. Again, keep in mind this card requires a VERY good credit score, income and net worth. If you are a student with little income, try again in a few years.
Having said that, look at the perks of this City National Crystal Infinite Visa card.
100,000 point bonus after $5000 spend in the first 90 days. You can redeem these points many ways but basically you get 1 cent each and thus the bonus offer is worth $1,050 after spend.
$250 in travel incidentals that covers all sorts of things like fees, upgrade costs, club membership and so many more choices. I will report back how my spending goes and reimbursement. Keep in mind this is per calendar year so I will be getting $250 this year and another $250 next year as well. Those two credits alone will pay off next year’s fee for the card of $400 with $100 to spare. Amazing.
Both myself and who I choose gets individual Priority Pass membership. I already have it myself from my AMEX Platinum card but my wife is a secondary card holder for that perk and this will make that not necessary to hold. That saves me money with AMEX. Thank you, Crystal Visa.
I am a Gogo user. My business AMEX Platinum card gives me passes each year and I can even use the Gogo pases Internationally. I have, this year, burned them domestically as I have flown more inside the USA. But my Crystal card also comes with 12 Gogo passes but only domestically. So, I will make a new Gogo account for those. Between my US Bank FlexPerks card that gives me Gogo passes (and my wife’s card that has them) I will have just about all the Gogo access I will need all year. Just amazing value!
I have a bunch of cards that already provide reimbursement for my Global Entry fee (with free TSA PreCheck) every 5 years but this one does it as well. I so wish the government would let me pay the fee for 10 or 15 years at a time 🙂
This will also be the card I always buy airline tickets with. Not just for the bonus points for doing so, but if my flight is delayed more than 6 hours or overnight I can get $500 back for hotel and food and such. Love this.
It also provides high end rental car coverage for vehicles up to $75,000 (most cards only cover you up to a $50,000 car). I will be renting and paying for cars with this card! Just nice.
There are a bunch of other perks that high end cards like this one include like towing coverage and very good warranty coverage on buying things with the card. Get this, if inside 90 days I buy something on the card, don’t like it, and the retailer will not take it back then the card will cover the cost of the item. Wow. That plus price protection i.e. if the price goes down inside 60 days of buying whatever (max $1,000) they cover that too. Yes, there are lots of exclusions but still this is just yet one more perk.
I could go on and on all day looking at why this card is going to become an every day card for me to use for “normal” stuff. Don’t get me wrong I still will use other cards that give me higher returns in points or value like my FlexPerks card at grocery stores and so on, but for the most part this card is going to get use by me. That is saying a bunch! – René
PS – As noted in the other posts this card is NOT an affiliate card and I earn no credit for you getting this card. You must go into your local branch to apply if you want it.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Don’t forget $100 off companion ticket when you buy through booking portal! No limit!! DL had MSP-ORD sale last month. Ended using discount and tickets came out to only $42RT each!
Could you ask your contact for the new application so we can save time when going in branch?
@WB – I wish but they are being picky about all branch only. This is a unique bank with their own rules. But worth playing as the card is THAT good IMO. Plus, I can all but guarantee you will have to follow-up with more paperwork afterwards. At least once. 😉
Great offer! Really wish they would have an application emailed to us or online!!!!
Outside on the bonus Citi Prestige card is better. Just 3 hours delay for $500 and car rental is 100k
I heard this card is only available for ‘high income’ households (and proof of income is required). Any word on that?
@Jordan – Yes as mentioned in post.
I’m not so sure on the “high income”. I would say I make a decent income, but I definitely don’t consider myself ” high income ” by any means and I was approved. I think if you a decent salary and great credit scores and little to no debt/inquires/new cards it’s probably worth a shot. Worst case you get a inquiry ding, but it’s easy $1700+ value if you play that cards right.
@MSPDeltaDude – Agree. Just want to make sure no one with say “student” income not try. Not that there is anything wrong with that but not the target for such a traveler. Congrats on getting the card btw. Well done!
Is the rule that you must be a resident, or just apply at a branch? I’m in driving distance of a branch but not a resident of the state…Any idea?
@Jake – Resident. They only opened up to out of state 1st day on blog.
still waiting for my card to arrive. Applied Oct. 27th and wasn’t approved until Dec 8th. They even wanted copies of my personal bank accounts to see the balances.
Where is the portal to book flight to get the discount located at?
@Will – You have to be a card holder to book. https://www.cnbrewards.com/general_logon.asp
Live in ATL and have been thinking about this card. I recently got the citi aa exec and amex platinum, and am wondering if it’s worth it for me or SO to go in branch and apply? It seems like there’s a lot of overlap and ideally the best time to get the card is after year 1 has elapsed for the amex plat so i can replace with this, but will this signup bonus be around then too? Any thoughts?
@Voyaging Doc – They are paying you over $1000 to try it. Why not unless your time is worth more than $1000 an hour that is.
I just went to the Atlanta office to apply for this card and was told the offer was good only for residents of New York and California. Very disappointing.
@ Allen – I had the same experience in Atlanta. Called on the phone today and they said offer only in NY and CA.